Richard Hammond is in a state of high excitement after flying himself 110 miles in a helicopter from his home to talk about his new show.

But the cause of the Top Gear presenter’s exhilaration is not a sleek new sports car or a hilarious road trip.

It’s a natural history programme being tipped as the most ambitious live outside broadcast the BBC has ever attempted.

Planet Earth Live is an eight-part BBC1 series spanning three weeks, which will follow wildlife on five continents as young animals fight for survival.

It’s Springwatch gone global. And the footage will not just thrill British viewers but audiences in 140 countries.

Having been passionate about wildlife for as long as he can remember, this is Richard’s dream job.

“When I was six I was the world’s biggest fan of Attenborough and Bellamy,” recalls the Mirror motoring columnist.

Thrilled: Host Richard Hammond (Photo: BBC)

“There was a competition on the TV to win a boat trip on the Amazon. Entrants had to keep a nature diary for a month, and I was so keen to win that I did it with the help of my favourite possession, an encyclopaedia of nature.

“Unfortunately, I may have embellished the creatures I encountered. I think I ‘saw’ more tapirs than one customarily sees in suburban Birmingham. Did I win? No.”

Undaunted, he launched a wildlife club in his garden shed. “My parents had bought me an Indiana Jones-style bag containing everything you could need as a young naturalist... plastic binoculars, specimen jars, a little metal spade, a book for identifying things and a magnifying glass.

“I carved the name of the club on the door of the shed. Wildlife Club is a bit long so I just did the initials. My dad was rolling about laughing. I just thought he liked it.”

Richard, 42, had the pleasure of encountering all manner of exotic creatures while on location for Top Gear in Botswana and the North Pole.

And he was delighted when the offer came to present Planet Earth Live, which he will co-host with Julia Bradbury.

Daring duo: Co-presenters Richard and Julia (Photo: BBC)

“Did I fancy hanging out with a pride of Maasai Mara lions? Yes. But it’s a vast undertaking,” he admits.

While Richard is based in Kenya, Julia, 41, is 8,000 miles away – with black bears in the US and grey whales in the Pacific.

There will be other camera teams in Africa, America, Asia, South America and the Arctic, covering eight main animal groups – including macaque monkeys in Sri Lanka – with a support cast of 25 further species.

Richard hopes the audience will get over him being a four-wheel fanatic and accept his passion for all things four-legged.

“People will say ‘why is that bloke from Top Gear doing this’? I can address that head on. I’m there to ask the questions and be amazed.

"Julia and I are not going to be afraid to ask those questions that perhaps some experts wouldn’t because they assume greater knowledge.”

Big smile: Julia and whale (Photo: BBC)

He points out that he has presented science programmes without being a scientist, purely on the strength of his enthusiasm for the subject.

“If I were to suddenly become a dancing expert on a dancing show, that would be a bit of a push.

"And I couldn’t make a food show – I tried that and it was crap because I couldn’t give a rat’s a*** about food. But this is different.”

In early May the lions of the Maasai Mara tend to get desperately hungry as food supplies dwindle.

Richard knows there will be distressing stories as the cubs arrive and the male lions get territorial over food.

“It’s going to be tough. But whatever happens we won’t be interfering. We’re there to observe and provide a snapshot of what is happening.”

Clawsome: Black bear cub in the snow (Photo: BBC)

During the interview in London, Richard says he has his motoring show to thank for landing him this new gig.

“We always feel tremendous pride when it comes to Top Gear,” he says.

“After 18 series it’s been an amazing ride and look at me – I can come out of the closet and go, ‘Hello, I’d really like to make natural history shows’.

"And you can, because you turn yourself into a bankable name.”

The motoring series, which he presents alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, returns for a 19th run next year.

And Richard says their camaraderie is genuine. “We’re all getting on famously.

"They’ll kill me for saying this because it’s insufferably soft, but we’ve been closer as mates this past year. It’s been lovely.”

Adorable: Baby macaque (Photo: BBC)

He laughs off the suggestion they ever fight, by quipping: “They’re still standing aren’t they?”

He adds: “We don’t have big rows. We’re men. It gets testing on the road trips if we fall out but we just stomp off and then slag them off to the other one.

"Then you’re all right again. If we weren’t mates we couldn’t stand the hours and hours of time we spend together.”

The only downside is he has to spend time away from wife Mindy and their children, Izzy, 12, and Willow, eight.

The family live deep in the countryside near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, because it makes them happy – him in particular.

Majestic: Lioness and cub (Photo: BBC)

“I’m crap in the city,” he sighs. “I get in a panic, I feel claustrophobic.”

He hopes the family will be able to meet him during his month in Kenya, not least because his kids are actually interested.

“My daughters are not into cars so they’ve never watched Top Gear apart from Botswana and the Polar special,” he admits. “But they do like animals.”

The girls see other occasional benefits of their dad’s job too.

“I did a Sport Relief show and they came to London and got to high five JLS. Izzy conceded that was reasonably cool,” he says laughing.